Friday, April 29, 2011

Some days, you just need a good stiff drink. All the better if that day is Friday.

This past week has just been completely crazy - work has gone into overdrive and my mind has been swirling as I have been trying to make big life decisions at the same time. I won't complicate matters even further by delving into all the details, but I will say this - Hallelujah for Friday. Lord knows I desperately need a moment for my brain to take a rest and my body to relax so that I can get some clarity and focus on what is really important to me.

As I have explained before, at my core I am not really a big drinker, but I do like a good cocktail now and then - especially when I want to kick back, put my feet up and relax or enjoy a really fun night with friends. In this case, when I saw this Bittersweet Negroni in the latest issue of Bon Appetit, I knew it would be the perfect medicine for my aching, overworked brain. I had actually never heard of a Negroni before, but I was intrigued by the short description:

'My first cocktail crush was the Negroni. It was the "adult" taste (slightly bitter, slightly sweet) but also its easy-to-memorize recipe that hooked me. Even today, no matter what bar I find myself in, I know I can get a consistently well-made one. It's all about the golden ingredients ratio: 1-1-1.'

–Andrew Knowlton

The 'golden ingredients ratio' Andrew is referring to is a mixture of 1 part Gin, 1 part Sweet Vermouth, and 1 part Campari. I love gin - a simple gin and tonic with extra lime is my boring, but favorite cocktail - and the yin and yang of sweet vermouth with bitter campari was strangely reminiscent of another treat I have been enjoying recently... Kumquats.

Kumquats are one of the smallest types of citrus, and their oval shape and size is more similar to a large olive than a typical round orange. But the real distinguishing characteristic of the kumquat is its taste - this fruit can be eaten whole, and the rind actually has a sweet flavor, while the flesh is more bitter. When you bite into a kumquat you initially taste the sweet, and then the flesh releases a torrent of sour in a burst of juice. I have just been popping kumquats like candy, and I love the way my mouth puckers around the sweet-sour little jewel.

It was this complementary yin and yang of flavors that made me realize garnishing a Negroni with some simple sliced kumquats would be so much more appropriate (and beautiful) than a simple orange twist or slice. Don't you agree?

The bright orange kumquats make a lovely contrast to the crimson Negroni.

I skewered the kumquats onto an appetizer fork, but you could also use a toothpick.

If you are not a fan of cloying cocktails or run-of-the-mill bar drinks, the Negroni just might be the drink for you. It is sophisticated and pleasant to sip - not the kind of drink you want to gulp down, but the kind you can savor and appreciate while winding down after work or on a warm weekend afternoon. You can let your mind wander... Because after a long week, isn't that what we all want to do? Just relax, take it slow, and savor life.

Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice, then top with gin, vermouth, and campari. Stir to mix, and if you like, top off with a splash of prosecco and garnish with sliced kumquats skewered on an appetizer fork or toothpick. Serve immediately. Makes 1 drink.

This looks fantastic. I had my first Negroni just a few weeks ago. It's a great drink for sipping on for sure. Your photos are lovely!(And what's funny is that I posted a cocktail today, too. Must be something about this week. Cheers!)

I find the older I get, the less I like fruity martinis and sugar cocktails... and I'm totally developing a taste for good, stiff, grownup sorts of drinks like Negronis and Manhattans.I've never tried one with a kumquat garnish, but it does sound like a perfect match. Will have to remember to pick up some kumquats and Campari so I can give these a try. TGIF!

I love this twist on a classic. I'd never had a negroni until 12 months ago when the mixologist at our local restaurant made me his version and I loved it. I've never had one as good since, but this looks delicious. I'm bookmarking this to try.

Incredible drink! I've been eyeballing it at all the food porn sites all day and I just had to swing by and say how gorgeous it looks. Never had a Negroni before but I'll def be ordering it soon :) Thanks for sharing!

Those pics are gorgeous, and I love the idea of putting cocktail garnished on appetizer forks almost as much as I love Negronis themselves. But not quite. I've never added prosecco - bet it makes them really nice and summery; I'll have to try it out!

Hi There, This is looking absolutely delightful. Loved the new combo of ingredients and the recipe is so nicely made and presented. Gorgeous pictures, especially of the glasses upside down. Saving this recipe of urs and wud love to give ur version a try on the coming weekend. Have a great day….Sonia !!!

Rosemary: I can't say from experience whether you can sub vodka for gin (I didn't try it personally), but here is what the internet tells us:

"The standard recipe is very well balanced; however there are some variants. The Negroni sbagliato ("wrong"in Italian) uses sparkling wine (e.g., prosecco) instead of gin. Negroski is a recipe with vodka again as substitute for gin. Punt e Mes Negroni instead replaces standard red vermouth with a specific, distinctively more bitter-tasted brand called Punt e Mes."

I'm usually a vodka soda girl, but lately I've been really into specialty cocktails. I had one last weekend with cilantro, it was A-mazing! This concoction appears to be right up my alley! I hope it helped heal the brain hurt your week left behind :)

Amanda - these are *stunning*! They make me want a drink, and it's 10 pm on a Tuesday night and I'm in my pj's in bed. :)

What are you doing for light these days? These seem brighter ... is it positioning /natural light or an external light source? I'm trying to work on my lighting ... which is why I ask. I want to brighten up a bit, but my house doesn't have a great aspect for that.

Anonymous: Yes you are correct! If it uses prosecco it is a Sbagliato, but since I listed it as optional in the recipe I thought I should call the basic recipe a Negroni.

Amanda: Thanks for the compliments on my photos, I too have been trying to work on my lighting so it is great to see someone notices. *blushing* I currently don't use any external light sources, I only use natural light from a west/southwest facing window in my apartment. I get great late-afternoon light there but I think the positioning is key to make the photos look 'brighter.' I went to a workshop with Todd and Diane of WORC and they suggested photographing with the light source (window/sun/external source) at 12 o'clock to the food - which means coming from behind it. This gives a lovely light background for the food, but then you just need to make sure it is exposed correctly so the food doesn't appear too dark or cast shadows that are too intense. You can also try bouncing light back onto the front of the food with a homemade reflector (alum foil or white board). Does this make sense? If you want more clarification just email me! ;)

Clearly, I need to get out more. Your blog rocks! What an amazing photographer you are!! SO happy to have met you- hopefully we can spend more time together in San Diego. We should be at the beach today!

I love the idea of using kumquats in a cocktail and they look even more darling as a garnish. The only thing I've ever done w/ them is make some Kumquat Marmalade.

This post makes me thing TGIF and it's Wednesday. I guess I should be saying, Hello Friday, I am waiting! What a beautiful cocktail. I didn't have my first kumquat until last year, but it was that perfect balance of bitter and sweet you're talking about. This is definitely up there on my, "I need to try," list.

I hope your big life decisions get easier. Good luck. Deep breaths, chocolate, and a few of these always help too!

Dear,cocktails are my greatest passion for years now, and I always try to get the appropriate glass for each drink, could you tell me which brand and model of glasses you use? And how about the appetizers fork? Many thanks